Dionysus You are lead to the Emperess's bedchambers.

Dionysus She asks you & Damon to sit.

Dionysus The chambers are surprisingly Spartan.

Dionysus spartan

Dionysus A nice bed, a nice desk, a nice dresser & mirror.

Dionysus A few nice chairs.

Dionysus And a closet that's closed.

• Aurelia sits in a chair.

Dionysus She sits on the edge of her bed.

Dionysus The Emperess says, "We're informal here, Aurelia. Take your time & tell us what happened."

• Aurelia holds her bag in her lap, hugging it.

Dionysus Damon smiles reassuringly. He feels sympathy & confidence.

Dionysus Marilyna smiles, her sympathy evident, & her pride, too.

Dionysus Pride in you.

Dionysus Kashaji lies by your feet.

• Aurelia is silent for a moment, then starts uncertainly, "His guards found me as I left the city. They told me that I was to go to the palace, and led me there through streets of blood."

Dionysus They listen.

Aurelia "They brought me to a great chamber where the Emperor feasted on thinking flesh, and asked my role in cruel mockery."

Dionysus "Cruel mockery?" Marilyna asks.

Aurelia "Each word and sight a barb, the beasts poised to take pleasure in my fall were I to do so."

Dionysus "Oh." She blushes, "I'm sorry, go on."

Aurelia "He told me to play for them, to show my knowledge of sorrow. I played. The Colour came and went, I think. I played."

Dionysus "Your bandmates, you mean?"

• Aurelia nods.
• Aurelia reaches down to pet Kashaji for reassurance.

Aurelia "The feast done, he told me to follow to his den. Kashaji was to wait outside. I followed."

Dionysus She nods, "Go on, if you feel you can." Sympathy, worry, pride.

Aurelia "He told me to play again, and I did, less than a song before he told me to... please him. That if I chose to do so a song would be granted. That if I did not, he would strip away choice."

Aurelia "I touched him... where he wished... and I hurt him. Until after he had stopped moving, stopped screaming."

Dionysus Marilyna shudders, sympathy, worry, pride, sorrow. Damon feels anger.

Dionysus When you say that, Marilyna feels intense pride. Tears stand in her eyes.

Dionysus "Kneel, Baroness."

Dionysus "Damon, may I borrow your Sword?"

Dionysus Damon nods, draws it, & hands it over.

• Aurelia does so, if only to hug Kashaji tightly at first and cry a few tears into his fur before making herself straighten up somewhat.

Dionysus She taps your shoulders with the Sword, & the edge causes a tiny rip in one, accidentally, as she says, "Baroness Aurelia Lucent, I hereby declare you a True Servant of the Realm, Special Agent of the Crown, Avenger of the Despoiled, Duchess of the Court, with all due rank & responsibility therewith, for services above & beyond the call of duty to the Crown. Stand before me, your Emperess, & know she re

Dionysus grets the circumstances that brought you to such an act, but is proud beyond words that you rose above it."

• Aurelia stands ungracefully, tries to smile a little and give thanks, and instead begins to cry in earnest.

Dionysus The Emperess drops the Sword, then hugs you, weeping.

• Aurelia hugs back tightly.

Dionysus Damon quietly picks up the Sword & walks out, feeling sorrow, regret, pride, confidence, & satisfaction.

• Aurelia stays like that for a bit if not prompted otherwise, crying onto the Emperess's shoulder.

Dionysus She holds you til you let go of your own accord.

• Aurelia eventually lets go and whispers, "Thank you."

Dionysus She says, "I owe you more than this, but it will have to do for now. I wish Emily Argent were here. She... She is much better than I am at talking of such things."

Dionysus "But if you have time, I would like to further reward you. A special agent of the crown deserves special outfitting."

• Aurelia shakes her head a little and opens her mouth at the owing more, then closes it at the latter.

Aurelia "I do not deserve..."

Dionysus "No!" she shouts, "Do not let such horrors convince you that you are less than anyone. Monsters & brutes may take advantage, but no matter what, Aurelia, you do not deserve anything so bad. If you took the life of a monster, so be it. If you enjoyed it, good. Rape is a sin worse than oppression, worse than murder, worse than anything. Had I been the one... there, I would not have stopped when you did, n

Dionysus or been half as merciful."

• Aurelia looks up at her, uncertain what to say.

Dionysus "I will send word to Emily Argent. She will write to you. She understands such things."

Dionysus "Now, come, let us clean our tear-stained faces. The others will worry if we are over long."

• Aurelia smiles faintly and nods.

Dionysus She leads you to her vanity & washbasin. She cleans up & does her make up. do you do the same?

Aurelia Yes. More carefully than previously even.

Dionysus When you are done, she takes your hand, "Shall we return to the others?"

• Aurelia smiles again, gratefully, and puts her other hand on Kashaji's side.

Dionysus Kashaji stands to follow.

Dionysus You go back?